A rudder head succumbs to its mixed-metal construction Issue 112: Jan/Feb 2017 As the proud new owner of a 1985 Gloucester 22, I’m taking time to go over her thoroughly and return her to near-pristine...
Explore the world through sailors’ YouTube channels Issue 113: March/April 2017 More and more sailors are capturing their exploits and adventures on video and sharing those videos online. Still photos...
A shocking danger is ever imminent Issue 114: May/June 2017 Marinas are usually situated in places that offer good protection from storms. During the summer months, those locations can shield marinas ...
It uses a feature common to many devices Issue 116: Sept/Oct 2017 It started with a search for an anemometer, as I was curious about wind speeds while sailing my Seaward 24. Sure, I had an idea of wha...
Don’t be sidelined by bad bearings Issue 117: Nov/Dec 2017 Two hours into the 3-hour drive to Virginia’s Ware River Yacht Club, where I was taking my Chrysler Mutineer 15 to race in the Governor’s Cup...
Issue 118: Jan/Feb 2018 SmartPlug Marine Cordset Friends on two different sailboats have had electrical fires that originated in their shorepower connections. Corrosion on the contacts and internal co...
Viewing vessel traffic with a smartphone app Issue 118: Jan/Feb 2018 A couple of times a year, I find myself on Virginia’s Hampton Roads, a large natural harbor close to the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. W...
Issue 120: May/June 2018 Extend cell-phone range On much of the inland lake I sail, the cellular signal is often weak. WeBoost Drive Sleek, a cellular signal booster, promised to solve this problem. A...
Issue 121: July/Aug 2018 StopGull bird deterrents Our berth is near a clump of trees where starlings and blackbirds roost. They do their dirty work all over nearby boats; I jumped at the chance to tes...
Issue 123: Nov/Dec 2018 Zippers made zippy I love this stuff. E-Z Snap Zipper & Snap Lubricant really works. I had some tough-to-use zippers aboard: the cheap plastic ones sewn into our dodger win...
Issue 126: May/June 2019 Protect a jib’s head from sunburn Most roller-furling headsails have fabric strips sewn to the leech and foot to protect the furled sail from ultraviolet radiation (UV). At th...
Issue 128: Sept/Oct 2019 A New Approach to Through-Hull Redundancy Given that I needed to change the ball valve on the through-hull for my AC raw-water intake, I was the perfect candidate to test this...
Issue 129: Nov/Dec 2019 Electricity-Free Slow Cooking Having spent 20 years (off and on) living aboard small boats, I’ve come to realize that there are only a handful of household appliances that I tr...
Issue 133: July/Aug 2020 Getting Smarter Wanting to be more self-sufficient and increase my knowledge of the diesel engine aboard my Beneteau 311, I signed up for Boater University’s online course Mar...
Issue 137: March/April 2021 Waterproofing Wounds I’ve often found it a challenge to keep cuts or other wounds clean and dry while I’m sailing—or doing anything on the water. DrySee’s waterproof bandag...
Issue 142: Jan/Feb 2022 I spend a lot of time navigating shoal waters, and my dedicated (and expensive) chart plotter only gets fresh information about such places when I install an updated SD card, y...
Replacing a traditional marine head with a composting system is clean and green. Issue 132: May/June 2020 I love my new-to-me 1999 Beneteau 311, but the boat came with a very pronounced smell in the h...
